RIO DE JANEIRO (Rio 2016 Olympic Games) - The USA improved to 3-0 with a 110-84 win over Serbia on Wednesday.

Diana Taurasi scored 22 of her game-high 25 points in the first half to set the tone for the 5-time defending Olympic champions as they sent the European champions crashing to a third loss in as many games.

Serbia matched the USA for the first 6 minutes of the game and edged in front, 17-16, on a Jelena Milovanovic free-throw.

However, with Taurasi finding her stride, the Americans finished the opening period on a 14-5 run for a 31-21 lead and kept adding to it the rest of the way.

Turning Point: With their team down 11-2, Milovanovic, Sonja Petrovic and Sasa Cado hit a three-pointer apiece as part of a 15-4 run that finished with them up 17-16. Taurasi then hit three three-pointers of her own in a 59-second span and and had 16 points in the first quarter alone. 

Stats Don't Lie: The USA were a perfect 26-of-26 from the free-throw line.

Hero: With the USA showing signs of being vulnerable and a bit sluggish, Taurasi took matters into her own hands and her scoring spree to end the first quarter looked to send a message to her team-mates who answered the call. 

The Bottom Line: After 3 games, the USA are undefeated - which is what they would expect of themselves - and bound for the Quarter-Finals. They will face neighbours Canada and China to finish off their Group Phase action. Serbia, meanwhile, will find themselves in must-win situations when they take on China on Friday and Senegal on Sunday if they want their Olympic adventure to extend to the Final Phase. 

FIBA